Evaluation of Analgesic, Antipyretic and Antiinflammatory Effects of Ethanolic Leaves Extract of Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb

OBJE CTIVE OF THE WORK: Non–steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used worldwide for their wide range of activity. However its side effects are high. Natural products from medicinal plants have more pharmacological significance with improved efficacy and lesser side effects Luffa acultagula (L.)Roxb. Is an Indian traditional medicine used for analgesic, anti-inflammatory activity. Hence the present work was aimed to explore the use of extract of Luffa acultagula (L.) Roxb. With proper validation.SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: The present thesis entitled “Evaluation of analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect ethanolic leaves extract of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.” deals with the exploration of pharmacological and phytochemical screening of the selected Indian medicinal plant Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. The results obtained from the preliminary phytochemical screening of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. extract showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins as shown in Table 1. It was reported that the flavonoids frequently found in plants posses analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity. The plant was collected and got authentification from Botanical Survey of India, southern regional centre, Coimbatore with the reference number BSI/SRC/5/23/2017/Tech/691. Approval was obtained from committee for the purpose of control and supervision of experimental animals (CPCSEA) and institutional animal ethics committee (IAEC), proposal number NCP/IAEC/NO: 02/2016-17. The plant was shade dried and crushed. It was pulverized and extracted with ethanol using soxlet apparatus. The resulting extract was concentrated. The study of the plant Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. was done by using mice with the oral doses of 5, 50, 100, 1000 & 2000 mg/ kg body weight of extract and no mortality was observed for 24 hours. Thus dose was identified as per OECD 423 Guidlines. As for the analgesic effect, the leaf extract appear to act via the central and peripheral mechanisms of analgesia by using hot plate, tail immersion and Acetic acid induced writhing animal model. Antipyretic activity of leaves extract was done by using yeast induced pyrexia method and finally anti-inflammatory effect of plant extract was done by using carrageenan- induced paw edema in rats and cotton pellet granuloma techniques. The Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. has shown a significant antiinflammatory, anti- pyretic and analgesic effects. These effects maybe because of the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids present in the plant extract The Present study showed that the ethanolic leaves extract of Luffa acutangula (L) Roxb, posses peripheral and central analgesic activity in animal model. The Luffa acutangula (L) Roxb leaves extract shows antipyretic activity in animal model in rats and Luffa acutangula (L) Roxb showed anti-inflammatory activity in different animal model. Flavonoids and tannins are the major constituents of Luffa acutangula (L) Roxb leaves, which may be responsible for its Analgesic, Anti-pyretic and Anti-inflammatory activity. Further detailed study on Luffa acutangula (L) Roxb plant using different flogestic agents in this area will enable us to understand the mechanism of action underline the above mention activity